The present invention relates to an environmentally hardened ETHERNET-type network, herein called a Neighborhood Area Network (NAN). More particularly the invention relates to apparatus and methods for power distribution while improving reliability and extending maximum usable distance between active elements in an environmentally harsh practical NAN.
A NAN differs from a Local Area Network (LAN) in several ways: 1) a NAN deploys environmentally hardened cable and connector technology in addition to aerial and underground buried enclosures, techniques and technology; 2) a NAN provides a self-sufficient power distribution system integrated with an environmentally hardened data distribution system to power environmentally hardened repeaters, hubs and switches; and 3) network active elements are employed which are configured to increase the average distance between the active elements.